Spout-type bag



DeC. 29, 1959 F. J. CHANDLER SPOUT-TYPE BAG Filed March 2, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

FFank J. (Aand/Er United States Patent -'Ofiice Patented Dec. 29, 1959 SPOUT-TYPE BAG 2 Claims. 01. 150-9) spout of a filling machine, which is fabricated from heavy thermoplastic sheet material or other heavy sheet material coated with pressure or heat sensitive adhesive.

A great many powdered, granular, or liquid materials are currently packaged in multi-layer paper bags and in .ofits sides, respectively, the top 12, right side 13 and bags formed from sheet plastic-materials such as vinyl film and polyethylene film. The sheet plastic materials have the advantage that they are impermeable to moisture and thus, when properly sealed, can contain materials which would be ruined by moisture after long periods.

The disadvantage, however, in most of the .bags fabri catedfrom plastic film arises from, the difiiculty in sealing the spout-receiving opening after the bagisfilled. Most powdered or granular materials include :fine dust. During the filling of the bag, a layer of fine dust is wafted onto and remains on the areas which must subsequently be sealed to each other after filling, in order to hermetically seal the bag.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a simple bag construction and method for fabricating the bag wherein the areas to be sealed after the bag is filled are protected against the collection of fine dust thereon during the filling operation and they may then be sealed directly to each other without interference.

It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide an inexpensive throw-away protector for the spout opening of a spout-type bag which will prevent the deposition of foreign material on surfaces to be sealed together after the bag is filled, and which is readily removable and disposable to permit the final sealing of the bag.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification which follows and from the drawings, in which- Fig. l is a view in perspective of a portion of a large tube or sleeve of sheet material from which a bag embodying the invention may be fabricated according to the invention;

' Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the bag preliminarily sealed to close it upon three sides and to close the fourth side except for an opening of sufiicient size to recieve the spout of a spout filling machine;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a protective tube adapted to be incorporated with the partially sealed bag of Fig. 2 according to the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the tube in position to be combined with the partially sealed bag of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a bag fabricated according to the invention with a filling machine spout inserted therein during filling of the bag, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the bag after it has been filled and finally sealed according to the invention.

A bag embodying the invention may be fabricated opposite the end. 19.

.according to the invention from a large sleeve 1t) of plas- -tic film or other sheet materialwhich is either thermoplastic, and may thus be sealed together by the applica- 'tion of heat, or which is coated by heat sealable adhesive, a pressure sensitive adhesive, or other substance permitting closure of the open ends of'the sleeve section 10.

'The first step in fabricating a bag embodying the invention is illustrated in Figure 2 where a complete seal 11 is, shown as being formed across one open end of 'the sleeve 10. wAt this point, the tube 10 is closed at three bottom 14. :A partial seal, indicated at 15, is formed to close the fourth side of the sleeve 10 except for an opening indicated at 16 of such length that it is adapted to receive the end of-a filling spout of a machine which feeds powdered, granular or liquid materials. A small tube 17 (Fig. 3) of fibrous sheet material, for example kraft paper or similar material, is formed with a longitudinalseal generally indicated at 18, an open end 19, and two opposedextension tabs 20 and 21 at the end A small area of pressure sensitive adhesive 22 is spread on the outer sides of the tabs 20 and 21.

The two extension tabs 20 and 21 are then folded back upon the tube 17 as shown in Fig. 4, but the area of adhesive 22 is not pressed into contact with the exterior of the tube 17. .An assembler then takes the small tube 17, for example by inserting his forefinger into the tube from the: end of the tabs 20 and 21, and holds the tabs'20 and '21 away from the wall of the tube 17, inserting the tube 17 into the almost closed pouch or bag formed from the sleeve 10. The assembler then presses the tabs 20 and 21 against the outer surfaces of the front and back walls of the bag, adhering the tabs 20 and 21 to the outer sides of the front and back walls of the bag 23.

The bag 23 is now completely assembled and ready tobe filled. The tabs 20 and 21 retain the protective sleeve 10 in place with the tube 17 lying tightly adjacent the inner edges of the front and back walls of the bag 23 at the opening 16 therein. The tube 17 extends into the bag 23 with its open end 19 opening to the interior of the bag 23. The bag 23 as thus assembled may be shipped or otherwise handled in the same manner as other bags suitable for spout-filling machines.

At the location where the bag 23 is to be filled, an operator places it over the end of a filling machine spout fragmentarily indicated at 24, shoving it onto the spout 24 and sliding the spout 24 through the tube 17 into the interior of the bag 23. In Figure 5 the bag 23 is shown in position on the spout 24 with powdered or other material being fed from the end of the spout 24 in the interior of the bag 23. After the bag is filled to a level no higher than the bottom of the opening 16, it is drawn off of the spout 24 and the operator again inserts his forefinger into the tube 17, catching it and pulling it out of the bag, tearing the tube 17 away from the bag by either tearing the material from which the tube 17 is formed or tearing loose the tacking where the pressure sensitive adhesive 22 has been pressed against the outer walls of the bag 23.

After removal of the protective sleeve 17, the edges of the front and back walls adjacent the opening 16 are closed by a final sealing generally indicated at 25 in Fig. 6. Any dust or other foreign matter billowing or wafted by air being exuded from the bag 23 during filling, or carried by ambient air, is prevented from falling upon the inner surfaces of the front and back walls of the bag 23 adjacent the opening 16 by the presence thereagainst during filling of the sleeve 17. Any such foreign material accumulates on the inner surfaces of the tube 17 and, thus, when the tube 17 is torn away is removed as well, leaving the surfaces to be sealed free of interfering material so that an hermetic seal of the bag may then be made.

In addition to the protective feature of the invention as discussed above, bags fabricated according to and 3 are fabricated by sealing the material to itself. Resistance to the weight of the material as the bag hangs from a filling spout, or during shipment after filling, is thus provided by only the strength of the seal as contrasted to 1 the strength of the material itself as in the instant invention.

I claim:

1. A spout type bag consisting of opposed rectangular, front and back walls of flexible sheet material closed along one side and along the top and bottom thereof 1 and partially closed along the other side thereof except for an opening at the top of such other side, and a tube of fibrous sheet material extending through such opening into the interior of said bag with its inner end open, and having a pair of opposed continuous extension tabs on its outer end folded around overlying the exterior of 1 said front and back walls adjacent such opening, said tabs being tacked to said walls, the main portion of said tube lying against the areas of the inner surfaces of said walls adjacent such opening for preventing deposition of dust and foreign matter thereon, said tube being removable through said opening whereby said areas are sealable to each other for finally closing said bag.

2. A spout-type bag consisting of opposed rectangular front and back walls of flexible thermoplastic sheet material fabricated from a length of sleeving, the front and back walls being continuous over the top and bottom of said bag, sealed to each other along one side thereof and partially sealed to each other along the other side thereof except for an opening at the top of such other side, and a tube of fibrous sheet material extending through such opening into the interior of said bag with its inner end open, and having a pair of op posed continuous extension tabs on its outer end folded around and overlying the exterior of said front and back walls adjacent such opening, said tabs being tacked to said walls, the main portion of said tube lying against the areas of the inner surfaces of said walls adjacent such opening for preventing deposition of dust and foreign matter thereon, said tube being removable through said opening whereby said areas are scalable to each other for finally closing said bag.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

